Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, December 1) — The United States government has committed more than ₱875M over two years for the Philippines’ prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, the U.S. Embassy announced Tuesday, World AIDS Day.
The amount will be coursed through a new President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief or PEFPAR program, with the United States Agency for International Development, Centers for Disease Control, Health Resources and Services Administration, and Department of Defense in charge of implementation.
“The PEPFAR program will address the increasing number of people who are living with HIV in the Philippines, which has the fastest growing HIV epidemic in the Asia-Pacific region,” said the embassy in a statement.
HIV — or human immunodeficiency virus — destroys the cells in the body that fight diseases or infection. If left untreated, it could progress to Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or AIDS, which could lead to death.
The Health Department says an average of 21 new cases are now being reported in the Philippines every day. Meanwhile, the number of HIV and AIDS cases from January 1984 to October 2020 has breached 81,000, according to the agency’s HIV/AIDS and ART Registry of the Philippines.
The embassy added that this program will support the Philippine government’s efforts to reach the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS’ 95-95-95 targets for controlling the epidemic. That means 95 percent of people infected with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those who know their status receive treatment, and 95 percent of patients on treatment achieve viral suppression.
With this, the USAID will be working with the DOH and local organizations to carry out activities in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, and Calabarzon, which are among the regions with the highest incidence of HIV cases in the Philippines. The aid agency will provide increased access to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, strengthen HIV testing and case finding post-COVID, and connect HIV-diagnosed clients with better treatment and retention programs.
“The support also comes at a critical time as the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered HIV testing and treatment coverage,” said the embassy, noting that figures from January to June show a 41 percent year-on-year decline in new HIV diagnoses and a 51 percent drop in anti-retroviral treatment initiation from last year.
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Health Secretary Francisco Duque has also called on the public to “remain focused and resolute” in preventing and reducing transmission of HIV despite the coronavirus pandemic.
